I have not read up on installing Linux on an Xbox, so don't ask me for detailed advice, but why not just hire the MechAssault game from a video/game hire place and return it the next day? I will cost you only a few dollars (or whatever currency you use) and would be much cheaper then buying the game.

I've bought an xbox of my own yesterday, don't even know what version it is yet (I'm afraid it might be a 1.6, it's too new to be in the list, week 21 of 2004, Chinese). But it's definitely going to run linux/mythtv, even if it means I have to take my soldering iron to it!

Your xbox is an 1.6/1.6b (see the system information k:5838 or greater)

It is indeed a 1.6 (not b), I had a look at the RAM chips inside (Samsung).

I've read the tutorial you linked, thanks. However, I'm afraid this is not going to work with my xbox, since it has the 5838 kernel. I quote from xbox-linux.org:

Quote:

Also, version 1.6 contains the newest Xbox kernel and dashboard, the latter of which is already patched to disallow the MechInstaller exploit. Note that this is not a problem specific to the 1.6 version, as version 1.4 and earlier can also receive Internet updates from Microsoft that patch the dashboard and close this loophole. However, it is important to note that while some Xbox versions will allow you to downgrade your dashboard to 4920 the kernel on the 1.6 (5838) will not.

So either the above is wrong, or the tutorial from your link is...
More importantly, I want to be able to use the Cromwell BIOS and flashing is not possible on the 1.6. So I ordered a mod-chip that allows me to flash the Cromwell AND boot straight into linux (I hope ). I'll report back when I've installed it...

Also, version 1.6 contains the newest Xbox kernel and dashboard, the latter of which is already patched to disallow the MechInstaller exploit. Note that this is not a problem specific to the 1.6 version, as version 1.4 and earlier can also receive Internet updates from Microsoft that patch the dashboard and close this loophole. However, it is important to note that while some Xbox versions will allow you to downgrade your dashboard to 4920 the kernel on the 1.6 (5838) will not.